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For the 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the UK, the question is rarely “what is there to see” — it is “when is my family off work, and when exactly does Eid fall?” Pakistan’s public holiday calendar is built around two great Islamic festivals, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, a run of fixed national days that celebrate the country’s founding, and the reality that the religious dates are confirmed only when the moon is sighted. This guide sets out every public holiday in Pakistan for 2027, explains which dates are certain and which are provisional, and shows how the Pakistani calendar lines up against UK bank holidays — so whether you are booking flights to Lahore for Eid or simply planning a call home, you know when the country stops.
⚠️ Important: Islamic holiday dates are provisional
The dates of Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, Ashura and Eid Milad-un-Nabi depend on the sighting of the new moon and are confirmed by Pakistan’s Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, usually only a day or two in advance. The Islamic dates in this guide are the best available astronomical estimates for 2027 and are marked with an asterisk (*). They may shift by a day in either direction. The federal government also occasionally declares additional holidays at short notice. Dates verified 5 October 2026; always re-check before booking non-refundable travel.
Public Holidays in Pakistan 2027 — Full List
Pakistan observes seven fixed national public holidays in 2027, set by date and the same every year, alongside the Islamic festivals that move roughly 11 days earlier each year because the lunar calendar is shorter than the Gregorian one. The table below lists the national days first by date, with the provisional Islamic festivals interleaved and marked with an asterisk. Weekends in Pakistan fall on Saturday and Sunday.
| Date (2027) | Name (Urdu) | Name (English) | Type | Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 February | یومِ یکجہتی کشمیر | Kashmir Solidarity Day | National | Friday |
| 9–11 March* | عید الفطر | Eid-ul-Fitr (3 days) | Religious | Tuesday–Thursday |
| 23 March | یومِ پاکستان | Pakistan Day | National | Tuesday |
| 1 May | یومِ مزدور | Labour Day | National | Saturday |
| 16–18 May* | عید الاضحیٰ | Eid-ul-Adha (3 days) | Religious | Sunday–Tuesday |
| 28 May | یومِ تکبیر | Youm-e-Takbeer | National | Friday |
| 14–15 June* | عاشورہ | Ashura (9th & 10th Muharram) | Religious | Monday–Tuesday |
| 14 August | یومِ آزادی | Independence Day | National | Saturday |
| 14–15 August* | عید میلاد النبیﷺ | Eid Milad-un-Nabi | Religious | Saturday–Sunday |
| 9 November | یومِ اقبال | Iqbal Day | National | Tuesday |
| 25 December | یومِ قائداعظم / کرسمس | Quaid-e-Azam Day / Christmas Day | National | Saturday |
* Dates marked with an asterisk follow the Islamic lunar calendar and are provisional until confirmed by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, usually only days ahead and subject to moon sighting. Eid Milad-un-Nabi in 2027 is expected to fall close to Independence Day on 14 August; the two may overlap. Youm-e-Takbeer (28 May) commemorates Pakistan’s 1998 nuclear tests.
Long Weekends in Pakistan 2027
🗓️ The long breaks worth planning around
Because Pakistan does not shift holidays to a Monday, the best breaks come when a fixed date lands next to the Saturday–Sunday weekend, or when the government declares bridge days around the Eids.
- Kashmir Solidarity Day: Friday 5 February 2027 falls beside the weekend for a natural three-day break (Fri–Sun).
- Eid-ul-Fitr*: estimated Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 March 2027. With the preceding weekend and the Friday often added as a bridge, this is typically the longest break of the year — frequently five to six days once the government confirms the schedule.
- Eid-ul-Adha*: estimated Sunday 16 to Tuesday 18 May 2027. Falling across the weekend into midweek, it usually delivers a four- to five-day stretch.
- Youm-e-Takbeer: Friday 28 May 2027 gives another Friday–Sunday long weekend, just ten days after Eid-ul-Adha.
- Quaid-e-Azam Day / Christmas: Saturday 25 December 2027 falls on a weekend, so no extra weekday off is gained.
Unlike the UK, Pakistan does not grant a “substitute” weekday when a holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday, so Labour Day (Saturday 1 May) and Independence Day (Saturday 14 August) are effectively absorbed into the weekend in 2027. The real length of the Eid breaks is announced by the Establishment Division each year, often only a few weeks ahead.
What’s Open and Closed on Public Holidays
On Pakistan’s fixed national days, banks, government offices, schools and the Pakistan Stock Exchange close, but shops, bazaars, restaurants and transport in cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad largely carry on. Independence Day (14 August) is the big exception for atmosphere: streets fill with green-and-white flags, and public buildings and major roads host flag-hoisting ceremonies and, in places, security restrictions.
The two Eids are a different order of closure. During Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, banks, offices and a large share of private businesses shut for several days, markets wind down in the run-up, and intercity travel reaches its annual peak as families return to home towns and villages. For Eid-ul-Adha in particular, cattle markets dominate the days beforehand and refrigeration, butchery and courier services run at full stretch. Many smaller shops reopen only once the main festival days have passed.
💡 Travel tip
Flights between the UK and Pakistan sell out months ahead of both Eids and fares climb steeply — the Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha weeks are the busiest of the year on the Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi routes. If you are travelling for Eid, book as early as you can and confirm the festival dates with family once the moon-sighting announcement is made. Domestic flights and motorway coaches inside Pakistan also fill quickly around the festivals.
How Pakistan’s Public Holidays Compare with UK Bank Holidays
The UK has eight bank holidays in England and Wales, almost all secular and deliberately tied to Mondays to guarantee three-day weekends. Pakistan’s calendar is built on a different logic: its national days are fixed to the date of the event they commemorate and are not moved, while its biggest holidays are religious festivals whose dates move each year and are confirmed by moon sighting rather than set years in advance.
| Feature | United Kingdom | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Number of public holidays | 8 (England & Wales) | 7 fixed national days + the Islamic festivals |
| Longest single break | 3-day weekend | 5–6 days around Eid-ul-Fitr |
| Moved to Monday? | Most are | No — observed on the actual date |
| Dates set years ahead? | Yes | National days yes; Eids confirmed by moon sighting days ahead |
| “Substitute day” if on a weekend | Yes | No substitute day given |
For the full British calendar to plan around, see our guide to the list of UK bank holidays, the year-by-year overview of bank holidays in 2027, and, if you are mapping extended breaks, our round-up of long weekends in 2027.
Key Cultural Holidays Explained
Eid-ul-Fitr (عید الفطر) marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and is the most widely celebrated festival in Pakistan. It begins with special morning prayers, followed by three days of family visits, new clothes, sweet dishes such as sheer khurma, and Eidi — money given to children by elders. For the British-Pakistani community it is the single biggest reason to travel “back home”.
Eid-ul-Adha (عید الاضحیٰ), the “Festival of Sacrifice”, commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Families who can afford to do so sacrifice an animal and share the meat in three parts — for the household, for relatives and friends, and for the poor. It is a festival defined by charity and community as much as celebration.
Independence Day, 14 August, celebrates Pakistan’s creation in 1947. It is the country’s most visible secular national day, marked by flag-hoisting, patriotic songs and fireworks — and in 2027 it may coincide with Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, depending on the moon.
🔎 Did you know?
Pakistan and India were born from the same 1947 partition, which is why their Independence Days sit side by side — Pakistan on 14 August, India on 15 August. If you are comparing the two calendars, our guide to public holidays in India covers the neighbour across the border, where the Eid dates are confirmed by a separate moon-sighting process and can differ by a day.
Planning Your Trip Around Public Holidays
If your visit is about family and festival atmosphere, time it for one of the Eids — just accept that fares will be at their highest and that you may not have a firm date until the moon-sighting announcement. If you would rather travel cheaply and move around the country easily, the weeks between the festivals are calmer, with seats easier to find and businesses open as normal. Spring, before the intense summer heat, and the milder autumn are the most comfortable windows for sightseeing in Lahore, Islamabad and the northern valleys. Whenever you go, booking flights and internal transport well ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr (March) and Eid-ul-Adha (May) will save both money and stress, and it is worth keeping your return flexible in case the government extends the Eid holidays at short notice. Travellers should also check the latest UK government travel advice for Pakistan before booking.
FAQ
How many public holidays does Pakistan have in 2027?
When is Eid-ul-Fitr 2027 in Pakistan?
When is Eid-ul-Adha 2027 in Pakistan?
Why are Pakistan’s Eid dates sometimes different from the UK’s?
Do banks close on Pakistani public holidays?
Is Christmas a public holiday in Pakistan?
When should I travel to Pakistan to see family around the holidays?
Sources & Last Verified
This guide was compiled by cross-checking multiple sources to ensure accuracy. A date appears above only where at least two independent sources agree; Islamic dates are flagged as provisional pending moon sighting.
- python-holidays library (Pakistan, 2027) — full statutory calendar including estimated Islamic festivals
- Government of Pakistan, Cabinet Division — official public-holidays circular and standing list of gazetted national holidays, including the formal note that Muslim-festival dates are “subject to appearance of moon” (cabinet.gov.pk)
- Nager.Date public holiday API — date.nager.at (Pakistan 2027) (returns national-day data only for Pakistan)
- Islamic festival dates confirmed each year by Pakistan’s Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after moon sighting
Last verified: 5 October 2026
Author: Bank Holidays UK Editorial Team